I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Use Less Product {Week 46 of 52}

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosureBy Mavis Butterfield on November 15, 2016 · 1 Comment

Welcome to my 52 Ways to Save $100 a Month series. We’re serious about saving money in 2016. Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s the big things. I’m here to walk you through some little things that can add up to BIG savings. 52 little things to be exact. Every week, join me back here for another small money saving tip or idea that might not seem like significant savings until you see the overall yearly savings. It might just blow your mind. So pop in each Tuesday and read a new tip that will help you on your way to save $100 a month!

I spend maybe, if I splurge, a total of $15 each year on makeup. That’s it. To me makeup equals time (application) and money (products). Time equals money. Therefore, makeup equals money and money. Not worth it to me, so I toned it WAY down through the years. I’ve found the products I like and I always wait for them to go on sale. I use the minimalist approach to this as well. Less is more money in my pocket, so I use the very smallest amount when I’m applying it. That all leads to $15 a year in spending. That is doable to me. Here are some ways you can use less product, too:

Buy only what you need: I cannot tell you how many of my female friends have makeup kits, drawers, shelves that are OVERFLOWING with duplicate products, products they will never ever use or, often times, unopened products that will remain that way. Pair that down. Take an inventory and then buy only what you actually use, not what looks fun or you think you might possibly perhaps one day try something. That’s the frivolous spending that might seem small, but really adds up.

Use samples: If you are wanting to try a new product, why not ask for a sample so you know it’s something you will actually use before you pay for a full-sized item? You get a fun freebie to try and then you save money by avoiding unnecessary purchased you end up hating.

Use only what you need: How much toothpaste do you actually need on that toothbrush? Probably not as much as you’re using. Same goes for lotion, soap, cleaners, shampoo, etc. Try really being mindful of how much of a product you are using the next time you use, well, any product.

How Much Can You Save: $15,000. Say WHAT? That number is not a lie, but it spans your lifetime. The average American woman will spend around $15,000 on makeup alone over their lifetime. MAKEUP ALONE. FIFTEEN THOUSAND. Mind blown. I might spend $1,000 on makeup over my lifetime and use the other $14K to pay cash for a car. Ha!

Comments

I am def. one of the least expensive wives around. I can’t remember the last time I bought make-up. Its literally more than 5 years ago, when we were living in Canberra.
We use bar soap, not liquid – lasts longer, costs less.
Happily my hair survives with the cheap shampoo/conditioner.
A friend and sister both sent me a tube of beautiful hand cream – gardeners hands NEED that 🙂 Lucky me.
I agree with you Mavis – don’t have the patience to spend the time prettying myself up.
Once in a blue moon if we are going somewhere special I will hunt up where I have hidden all the makeup and try to remember how to put it on 🙂